The secret to using underwater cameras

To store beautiful images under the sea or swimming pool, the photographer needs to choose a specialized machine, the cover is under pressure and learns some lighting correction tips.

Use the cover to increase the pressure of the machine

Although the camera is water-resistant with a protective plastic cover, shooting under different depths is not easy. At a depth of 10 meters, the pressure around the machine is doubled compared to the water, making the buttons that release this pressure work hard. Therefore, users need to equip more cover to go deeper.

" Most manufacturers of water-resistant cameras offer specialized covers for many digital cameras for quite cheap prices, about $ 200, " said Stephen Frink, a world-leading photographer for underwater photography. , said. " It will support the device to dive down to a depth of 40 meters ".

Shell Marine Pack for Sony Cyber-shot.Photo: Imaging-resource .

Nikon since 1963 introduced the Nikono line which later became the standard for underwater shooting and they stopped producing this product in 1984 with the Nikono V. But after that, they still used the name Nikono for cover for its Coolpix line. Sony also provided Marine Pack covers for Cyber-shot.

Select the appropriate camera

Earlier this year, Olympus and Pentax introduced a new underwater camera model. Olympus Stylus 770 SW has a 7.1 megapixel sensor, capturing below 10 meters of depth and a warning unit when it is too far away, priced at $ 380. Pentax 7-megapixel Optio A30 drops to a depth of 3 meters, priced at $ 300.

Vivitar's ViviCam 6200W also launched in March with a 6 megapixel sensor, which was captured at a depth of 10 meters, priced at $ 230. However, this device lacks the built-in flash.

Adjustment tips

Two points to be adjusted when shooting underwater are light and speed.

In terms of underwater lighting, the flash can support the recovery of most natural colors but the energy and distance settings will be somewhat limited. Because the aggregate water molecules are 600 times denser than air, the photographer needs very strong light to get a clear picture of the subject, even just 1 meter away from the machine. Therefore, it is recommended to use an external light source that is underwater lamps.

According to Frink, the shutter lag is the time between the shutter release and the camera actually recording the image. New point-and-shoot travel cameras all reduce this delay to the lowest level but still cannot be as fast as digital D-SLR interchangeable lenses. Therefore, if the fish swim too fast, the photographer needs to respond quickly to catch the most exciting moment.

Frink thinks his secret is: If the image is not good, the photographer has not approached close enough.